Maximize your seed starting space: tips and tricks from our small farm!

[@holdthelight11]

I can't believe the amount of seedlings you have going at once in such a small space! Very efficient! Also, thank you for the info on your papa's sweater from the last video - I actually found one at a very good price on ebay and it is so warm and cozy!

[@Blossomandbranch]

You're welcome, glad it helped! They are so warm!

[@thrivewithmindfulness2953]

I'm so inpired. I just got started with greenhouses last summer, and I wasn't really sure about how to set them up. Now I can see that having a seed starting space is absolutely necessary throughout the season!

[@shellskitchengarden4630]

I am so excited to find your channel. I have a 8 x 12 glass greenhouse. I am always surprised how warm it stays in the winter months. I have an electric heater that won’t let the greenhouse get below 5C (40f). I love my metal racks as you can get a lot of seed trays on them. I sow 100s (not 1,000 like you 😄) of flowers and veggies seeds for me and my daughter and my friends. Over the years I have become buried in plastic pots and trays. I am excited to see how you do it. Thank you for sharing all your tips.

[@CaliKim29]

WONDERFUL set up!!! So organized and efficient - thanks for the motivation! CK

[@HeatherEdwards-v8u]

😅 of course you are showing a new soil block recipe right after I bought two huge bags of Coco loco and wool pellets! Hahaha. Thanks for all your videos and being such a great teacher. Starting my first year flower farming and you have been such a great source of information and inspiration!

[@Blossomandbranch]

That one still works great! We are just doing a new one because not everywhere sells coco loco 🥰♥️

[@mistygeller3193]

I love that sweet little greenhouse, she is tiny and mighty! Just like you! You do such a great job at keeping things simple and well organized! So you speaking my language 😊 I always learn something from your videos and want to thank you so much for your time and effort!! You are quite an inspiration! I can’t wait to hear about your new seed starting recipe!! I was just going to look up last year’s and this video popped up!

[@Blossomandbranch]

Thank you Misty! That really means a lot! Yes the new one is simpler and no sifting but the old one works really well too!

[@heatherjolly8389]

Fantastic INformation!

[@Blossomandbranch]

Thank you, hope it helped! Can't wait for spring!

[@mstinamc1]

Lots of great tips here, thank you. I got my greenhouse from BC Greenhouses, and while ut us new to me still I love it! My mom had one for many years when I was growing up,. She loved hers shared it with my children as they grew up as well.

[@Blossomandbranch]

That's a great greenhouse company!! If I ever upsize I'd love one of those!

[@texastx8247]

That 5ct soil blocker is my favorite as well by far!

[@Blossomandbranch]

It’s the go to!!! ♥️👍

[@ForagingYourRoots]

Great stuff...as usual...

[@Blossomandbranch]

Hey, thank you so much!

[@albertnett7864]

Nice setup.

[@RedneckHillbillies]

Incredibly helpful video, thank you. I'm just a home gardener on new acreage, and thought I'd need a much larger, (= much more $$$) greenhouse for seed starting. Amazing amount of potential from a fairly small space.

[@Blossomandbranch]

Yes, the soil blocking really helps with the space conservation too!!

[@tammier7508]

I’m waiting on my grow lights and shelf to come in to start my seeding. Can’t wait for the soil version. Only Soil I’ve made up is for blueberries…

[@jojottheprodigaldaughter]

Thank you for the lessons on how to regulate your greenhouse.... my zucchini are dying. Right now, it's in the 30s in Louisiana, and I have a regular home heater in my greenhouse.

[@Mommyslittlegarden]

This video is very helpful. Do you up pot your soil blocked flowers?

[@Blossomandbranch]

I try not to anymore because it's time consuming, I usually just start them in the. medium size blocker unless I"m growing lisianthus--those ones I start in the minis and never pot up. The larger seeds that grow fast like tomatoes and peppers I usually do in wood trays :) They stay moister longer in that warm spring weather in the wood trays!

[@GrettaVanMaanen-pj8ql]

Thank you! So informative!😊

[@Blossomandbranch]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@beeconnectionzzz8786]

This was great, thank you!!

[@Blossomandbranch]

So glad you liked it!

[@cbak1819]

Great tip. Thank you as always most informative 🎉

[@Blossomandbranch]

So glad it helped!

[@schoolbeginsaftercoffee4759]

Can't wait for the sweet pea video!

[@Blossomandbranch]

Me too! I'm so excited to plant them this year! 😊 My favorite scent!

[@beeandbloomhomestead]

I have a greenhouse with a germination table. I don't use any lights in my greenhouse. And my seedlings do just fine. I'm surprised you use lights outside. I've never had a problem with legginess or anything like that. Really enjoy your videos

[@Blossomandbranch]

As I mentioned we only light the lower shelves because they are shadowed when we have the greenhouse full. :) we also are starting seeds now when the daylight hours are too short for what the seedlings need. :)

[@invisiblesurfer]

Super useful stuff thanks! Question: how do you manage slugs??? They eat all the seedlings in my mini-greenhouse (20% the size of yours)!

[@dustyflats3832]

I do like my leanto greenhouse as it’s easy to heat. We were rebuilding it last fall and thought I could get the heat sink finished, but we couldn’t get the supplies because we needed a better truck. Then the ground froze and the project stopped. I really wanted have a better operating/efficient GH so I can keep the mess outside. Plants do better where it is cooler. I use pipe cleaners to adjust the narrow LED lights similar to what you use 😅. Oh well, gives us more time to think through the construction. Too cold to heat now and will start seeds inside and then ‘Hopefully’ I will soon have a place to kick them outside 😊.

[@Blossomandbranch]

A geothermal greenhouse is a dream/life goal of mine!!

[@dustyflats3832]

@ lol, yes. Mine won’t be that elaborate, but I think running drain tubes in the floor and a solar fan will help. We have sandy soil, but will use gravel to cover floor. I thought about water barrels, but my thoughts are if the GH vents open then all the heat is lost for the water and they take up too much room. Barrels would need a separate unit to allow them to cook. We have reclaimed refrigerator building panels to use around perimeter of floor and insulate north wall. I’m hoping to get earlier use out of it as I’m Z5a, WI. Right now I’m concerned about our experimental above ground root cellar as we haven’t been this cold the last few years and my temp fob fades in and out and can’t trust setting an alarm. I could drop a light bulb in there ? Have no place to store root crops otherwise. The cellar is dug in about a foot and a box made using those 6” foam panels with heaps of arborist chips and two vents. Capped the vents but I don’t know 🤷‍♀️ if it will hold this week. Looking forward to soil vid as that’s what I will be doing soon in hopes to keep the gnats away this year. I think I have everything but coir.

[@GroLeafy]

Nice set up:) Do you have a link to the greenhouse.

[@laurenmclaughlin1493]

Do greenhouse seedlings grown with supplemental light require hardening off? I spend an absurd amount of time carrying trays in and out of my house in the spring to harden them off. I appreciate your videos- I've learned so much!

[@Blossomandbranch]

I harden these off for a shorter period than indoor grown seedlings (but more for wind than for sun-they’re already used to the bright sun from being in the greenhouse) but if you grow them indoors with the lights then yes definitely harden off as the sun is more powerful!

[@OldTimerGarden]

Nice video. May I recommend a small fan. It would help your plants.

[@Blossomandbranch]

The heater doubles as a fan but good point, we do mention fans in our indoor seed starting video ♥️🙏

[@cynthiaroberts9639]

Do you ever direct sow any cool crops in the fall to overwinter for spring?

[@Blossomandbranch]

I don’t anymore-I used to but the spacing was always all wrong, a lot of them wouldn’t make it or would grow too densely or be eaten so it was more work in my zone than it was worth! Too much lack of success. Plus I like my dirt covered in winter and that didn’t play well with direct sowing!

[@cynthiaroberts9639]

@Blossomandbranch that makes sense!! Thanks for answering! I have a greenhouse that I am trying to figure out using. I don't sell flowers like you do, just on a small scale. I have lots of veggies along with flowers and do a lot of seed starting 🌸

[@Blossomandbranch]

@@cynthiaroberts9639 You'll get it! I have learned to direct sow a lot of things to save work and space like zinnias, sunflowers, squash, beans, pumpkin, cosmos, etc! Helps a lot with space!

[@karenphipps8506]

Thank you., this video is very helpful! In the video you mentioned that you were going to add a few links. I don’t see the links. Can you tell me where to find the links?

[@Blossomandbranch]

Click on "more" under the video and they will come up :)

[@cbak1819]

Q? How low of a temp can the shop lights take I wonder? They do make heat mats with thermostatic element inside. I use a cookie cooling wrack for cooler germination lovers.

[@Blossomandbranch]

We've had them in there in sub freezing temps (down to 20) with the lights on and it's been fine!

[@gkseeton]

Is that a kit greenhouse or scratch built? I love it!

[@Blossomandbranch]

It was a kit :)

[@user-rg3zq2lb1v]

Does anyone have any other seed tray suggestions? The fiber glass ones I have seen a pretty expensive. I thought about the wooden, but I’m not sure that would work well for my indoor set up.😅

[@Blossomandbranch]

The 8x10 are listed under the video, $83 for 12 of them so around $7 each, not bad considering they'll last you your entire gardening career!

[@Blossomandbranch]

BUT if they're out of reach you can also save and upcycle old styrofoam meat trays. They just can be a little lightweight and prone to flipping over if you bump them :)

[@user-rg3zq2lb1v]

@@Blossomandbranch thank you so much for this helpful information. I’m in high school with not a lot of extra cash, so I’ll definitely try the styrofoam ones. How long do they usually last you?

[@ejrashaw]

If you have an IKEA near you they have them very cheap.

[@LittleIowa]

When soil blocking do you still have to pot up the seedlings?

[@Blossomandbranch]

It depends on the seedling. I try not to as it’s very time consuming. Typically I like to start them in whatever they need to be in for their entire growing phase unless that’s not possible due to space. Lisianthus which we grow a lot of (2k or so) never get potted up. :)

[@LittleIowa]

@Blossomandbranch Thank you 😊

[@jessn331]

Any tips on venting/cooling a greenhouse? My husband bought me a beautiful cedar greenhouse with one vent in the roof that pops open at certain temps however it still gets very very hot in there even on a 60 or 70 degree sunny day. There is a door that I can leave open when I’m there. But the greenhouse is at our cabin and I can only make it there a couple of days a week with work… so I can’t really open it every morning and close it every night.

[@Blossomandbranch]

That's a great question! We have two vents for this greenhouse but even then I do have to open the door when it gets very warm. Maybe you could try rigging a fan on a thermocoupler (so it'll only kick on if above a certain temperature) and rig it up by the vent so it'll blow in cool air if temps get too hot?

[@jessn331]

@ I was also considering shade cloth but wasn’t sure if I would need to place it over the exterior of the greenhouse or could try to line a couple of panels that get the most sun. Either way it would take a way a bit of the the beauty. I love starting seeds but am more comfortable in the controlled indoor environment with less temperature fluctuations! I want to make good use of the greenhouse though!

[@Freeland-Farm]

Look for an adjustment screw on the cylinder that opens and closes the vent. There could also be some adjustment as to where it's positioned on the mounting bracket. Basically, that cylinder has wax in it that expands when it gets warm and pushes a rod that opens the vent, and you have too much space in-between the rod and the wax. Don't try to adjust it too much all at once.

[@leslievasquez136]

Very informative thanks! You mentioned that you use the heat mat after they germinate do you then keep the seedling at 40 degrees immediately? Thanks

[@Blossomandbranch]

It depends on the seed! Usually I use the heat mats only for germination stage and then take them off while they're growing. I keep the thermocoupler on in the greenhouse at around 40 degrees, so that's when the space heaters will kick on. )

[@leslievasquez136]

Thanks

[@girlwithgrit7459]

I'm soilblocking for the first time this year! I've learned so much from your channel! I saw your video on homemade seedling fertilizer. I don’t have any of the ingredients easily accessible :/. Is there a ready-made one you'd recommend? Would Maxsea work? Also, I saw The Gardener's Workshop mention seedlings grow faster in soil blocks so if the packet says start 6-8 weeks before last frost, to cut off 1/3 of the time (so actually start 5-6 weeks before last frost). Would you recommend that timing? Thank you! ~Mikayla

[@Blossomandbranch]

Hi Mikayla! I find soil blocks grow a little faster but I wouldn’t say THAT much. Maybe a shave a week off. Also depends on the mix, we have a new seed starting mix we will be showing this coming week with much more accessible ingredients so start tuned and don’t forget to sub!

[@girlwithgrit7459]

Thank you so much! I'll adjust my seed-starting times 😅. I was gifted a soil blocking kit with the Fort Vee mix so I'll use that this year. I've seen lots of people recommend Neptune's harvest seaweed and fish fert or just the plain seaweed fert. Super excited about the videos on sweet peas coming! Can't wait! Thank you 😊

[@memethomas5402]

I use a cement mixing tub for soil blocking. I make a mess

[@Creekside_Cottage_Garden]

where did you buy your greenhouse

[@memethomas5402]

Do you use heatmats

[@cbak1819]

Burpee just launched outdoor sow 1 week BLF peppers and tomatoes 🎉 I have seedlings come up every year.. usually not where I want them and usually grape or cherry.

[@Blossomandbranch]

Wow, really?! I'll have to take a look, that's nuts!

[@tawntawn3152]

Does dog undercoat act the same as wool pellets?

[@Blossomandbranch]

In theory, it works in that they both have nitrogen in them! Make sure you don't have any flea or tick treatments on your dog and try to avoid shampoos or products with fragrances/pthalates/etc. I think the lanolin in the wool also boosts the seedlings but I'm not 100%!

[@brookenyland6116]

Where is this green house from?

[@Freeland-Farm]

The thing you're calling a thermocoupler is a thermostat. I'm not trying to nitpick. Just in case people are looking for it and coming up with parts for a water heater/furnace.

[@Blossomandbranch]

Ha my husband always calls it a thermocoupler, thanks for letting me know! 😂

[@jennellmcdonald2486]

Where do you buy your seeds?

[@Blossomandbranch]

Johnny's is my go to, but also Prairie Moon, High Mowing Seed, Swallowtail

[@AndreaBarahona1]

Where did you buy your greenhouse?

[@Blossomandbranch]

A greenhouse store that was closing down, it was a model! Can’t buy them in the US anymore unfortunately

[@AndreaBarahona1]

it’s a beautiful one, I really want something similar up here in AK, where we are!

[@emilyhodge896]

What growing zone are you in?

[@Blossomandbranch]

5/6, Colorado front range!

[@Simplyfarmhouse7]

🥰

[@faithearle3637]

I didn’t know you’d have to have grow lights for your green house😩

[@Blossomandbranch]

Depends! In these winter days we do, and also because we layer the seedlings!

[@dDulal-g8y]

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[@desireeware9536]

where did you purchase your greenhouse.

[@memethomas5402]

Where did you buy your greenhouse